Rahul Gandhi is a fifth-generation politician from the Nehru-Gandhi family and a senior Congress leader. He currently serves as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
Entering politics in 2004, he contested from the family stronghold of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, winning three consecutive terms before losing to the BJP’s Smriti Irani in 2019. However, he remained an MP by securing a win from Wayanad, a seat he held until 2024. He briefly served as Congress president from 2017 but resigned after the party’s poor performance in the 2019 General Elections.
Between 2022 and 2024, Rahul Gandhi led two major political marches—the 3,750-km Bharat Jodo Yatra (Kanniyakumari to Srinagar) and the 6,700-km Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra (Thoubal to Mumbai). In the 2024 elections, he made a strong comeback, reclaiming Amethi and assuming the role of Leader of the Opposition.
SG sir, Can you please arrange for Walk-The-Talk or Off-the-Cuff interviews with RG and NM? Thanks.
Let us assume Rahul does not know what his base is. Whatever be the base hopefully both modi and Rahul (up to a point) knows when the base is in danger of being usurped or switching sides. If so then one can take the assistance of behaviors of modi and Rahul over the last few days/weeks to understand what the base may be doing. Looking at these indicators it is clear that the base is shifting away from modi. Shifts in vote percentage may also be used as a source.
No party, these days , can offer alternative solutions . Competitive populism is the key. Finally it is the voter who should ask how long he has to depend on these handouts by these parties and why none of them are coming up with employment / development which will make them self reliant. If congress can come up with some such alternative and convince people , it can make a difference. But can present congress leadership has any ideas? People are happy that Rahul is speaking up to Modi, at last. This is after 15 years of probation! Strange! why we should accept a man who takes a decade to qualify himself for the leadership. It is pathetic to see so many senior leaders in congress queuing up sing for a man who is just not suitable for the leadership. One fails to understand what is problem with them. Congress should go for a new leader who has the grasp of our problems. Only then they can come up with a new vision and alternative solutions to county’s problems.
Nicely summed up. Totally agree with you.
Just listen to Rahul Gandhi in Kisan rally in Jaipur. He knows very well that Framers are the base of Congress.
In the last election, it was Modi wave based on fake promises of development.
Prof PK Sharma,Freelance Journalist, Barnala(Punjab)
Shekhar Sahib, we should not forget that we are a part and parcel of 21st century not 20th century !
I am afraid you (very seasoned in this analysis game)are haunted by old and outdated yardsticks
of politics as well as electoral politics !
There is nothing hard and fast in politics nowadays when there is nothing hard and fast in
adhering to the law of the land, norms, moral propriety and values ! In our system anything can
happen and nothing can be ruled out !
Please let me know what base NaMo had in the 2013-2014 ? After almost one year it was evident
that he thrived on hype,theatrics, ploys, lies and rhetorics to woo a mandate in BJP ‘s favour !
I wonder you are analysing scenario on the basis and criterion of conservative contours !
From where did Rahul Gandhi led Congress evolve a base in Chattisgarh to stun and startle Mr.Raman
Singh led BJP government in saddle for three consecutive terms ?
You are overlooking one vital factor that it took sizeable amount of time for the Congress to recover from
its 2014 worst ever poll debacle and then infuse blood in the party rank and file almost from a scratch !
Then Rahul Gandhi now has many tricks up his sleeves and has learnt the art of taking NaMo head on !
Since 2018 Rahul has been able to enhance his acceptability and credibility among the masses playing to
the sentiments of public !
The fact cannot be denied that Rahul Gandhi’s first and top most priority was to counter NaMo and now he
is coming up with an alternative narrative to offer to the masses ! Once the leader finds his rhyme and
rhythm,the base too starts following and springing up spontaneously ! The Congress is grand old party, not
new one and will not take too long to retain its base ! Moreover, only NaMo is enough to offer the most solid
and popular base to Rahul Gandhi led Congress !
Undoubtedly, the Congress is now very much in the reckoning ! It will not be safe and wise to write off the
revigorated Congress to spring pleasant and unexpected surprises !
Prof PK Sharma,Freelance Journalist
Pom Anm Nest,Barnala (Punjab)
A senior mediaman with several Padma awards under his belt insists on calling Üpper Caste Reservation, when there exists no such reservation is like RAGA repeating Rafael ad nauseam. For long we have been hearing the media lament that BJP does not field Muslims, while conveniently ignoring that in 70 years, the DMK has not fielded any Brahmin. This is selective mistake finding.
Rahul Gandhi is suffering from an incurable disease known as Rafalophobia. By focusing on this singular issue he spoiled his own prospects. An intelligent guess under the current scenario could be that the nation should be prepared for a non-BJP, non-Congress prime minister. The critical imponderable is who would lend support to this PM and indirectly control the ruling coalition- BJP or Congress and how long such an unstable arrangement last.
Showed my senior maid a few video clips of the Congress President’s visit to Dubai. There was electricity in the air in the overflowing football stadium. Desh ke liye kuchh karega, she asked with hope in her voice. Took us back five years in time. We were watching a campaign speech on TV, one man had been crisscrossing the subcontinent in searing summer heat, filling a fatigued, jaded nation with the hope of change. She had asked me exactly the same question then.
Why it feels like The Print is pro BJP and propagating many negativity against Congress?
I agree. In fact Rahul Gandhi is blind in Modi hatred, it will cost him dearly or even boomerang on him and people will vote for Modi.
The problem with the Congress party and its leader is it’s rudderless. They hardly have grassroots leaders who will hit the ground and dirty themselves. The wisecracks that the “youth icon” (never mind he’s beyond 40) tweets daily are akin to wonderful one liners from Amul, in size and frequency only. Definitely not in content. His spit and scoot strategy based on lies and half truths, are assiduously nurtured and spread by a loyalist media set who have a debt to repay. After all Padma awards have not been generously distributed to mediapersons without a hidden quid pro quo.
More Rahul talks, faster it is becoming clear to everyone that he is not the alternative to Modi. While he is bettering his public speaking, he can only say a few things again Modi and nothing on what he is offerings. Besides, Modi is smart enough to course correct on real time basis. That leaves us with Modi versus regional parties, rather than Modi versus Rahul.
Besides, all that we are talking is NDA coming back with fewer seats and Modi not heading the next government. Is that enough for Rahul?
Modi is too happy to keep on attacking Congress n the family and divert focus from regional parties.
In view of this, May 2019 will be interesting n entertaining for everyone. What Rahul and Congress will do beyond 2019 is the real question.. particularly after Sonia is no longer active.
But that also doesn’t mean that Modi should not be removed! That he should be replaced BY the Congress, is no body’s contention!
India was never governed by a perfect person. Nehru Indira Vajpeyi, no one was perfect. And post 2019 too it will not be ruled by a perfect person. But the present incumbent, Mr Modi, who too is obviously not perfect, but who DEFINITELY is encouraging / overlooking a spread of criminality and conspiratorial mediocrity in our country, must be removed.
By titling his article in this manner Shekhar Gupta seems to be suggesting that since both are “not the best”, Modi and Congress are equally good! That’s not only an erroneous suggestion, but looking at the present state of our society which seems to be sitting on a tinder box DUE ENTIRELY TO Mr Modi’s leadership, even an unpatriotic one.
Excellent ! The analysis is absolutely correct but, its impact will be totally lost on, or not even conveyed by his aides to, Raga. He actually has come to believe firmly that aggressive waving of hands and/or papers, while shouting angrily with put on horrified expressions to cement his blatant lies and made up facts are the way to go to defeat Modi and occupy his chair. The entire Congress party, particularly those who are closest in advising him on ‘tactics’ is responsible for his delusion. But it augurs well for the country, as this is a sure recipe for disaster for the Congress; a REPEAT DISASTER, one may add, which only confirms the long held belief that: Congress can NEVER learn from mistakes.. It is so smug and arrogant.